Supreme Court Petition: ED Claims Obstruction by West Bengal Government During Raids

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a petition in the Supreme Court, alleging that the West Bengal government obstructed its recent raids at the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) office and the residence of co-founder Pratik Jain. The agency claims it faced resistance during the operations, compromising the integrity of its investigation. In response, the West Bengal government has filed a caveat to ensure its perspective is considered. This legal battle unfolds as the ED seeks a CBI investigation into the alleged interference by state officials. The situation raises questions about political maneuvering ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 10, 2026, 18:02 IST

ED's Allegations Against West Bengal Government

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has approached the Supreme Court, claiming that its recent simultaneous raids at the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) office and the residence of co-founder Pratik Jain were obstructed by the West Bengal government and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

In its plea, the Central anti-money laundering agency has asserted that its officials encountered resistance during the operations, hindering their ability to perform their legal duties.

The ED further contends that the interference from West Bengal authorities has jeopardized the integrity of its investigation. In anticipation of the ED's actions, the West Bengal government has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court, seeking to ensure that no orders are made without considering its perspective.

This move aims to prevent any interim relief to the ED without the state government's input. This development follows the Calcutta High Court's rejection of the ED's request for an urgent hearing regarding the raids.

The ED had sought an urgent hearing from Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul after the single-judge Bench of Justice Suvra Ghosh was unable to address the matter earlier due to overcrowding in the courtroom.

The Bench led by Acting Chief Justice Paul confirmed that the hearing would take place on the previously scheduled date of January 14, as set by Justice Ghosh.

In its petition to the Calcutta High Court, the ED accused the Chief Minister of misusing her constitutional authority by allegedly obstructing the official duties of its officials during the raids.

Additionally, the ED has requested a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the actions of senior police officials who reportedly accompanied CM Mamata Banerjee during the ED's operations and allegedly left with documents.

There are also two counter-petitions in this case—one from Pratik Jain and another from the Trinamool Congress.

The Trinamool Congress, in its counter-petition, claimed that since I-PAC serves as the party's voter-strategy agency, the ED's raid was intended to seize documents related to its electoral strategy for the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections and share them with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).